Panzer 3 Ausf N ( Minenkommando )

[eleks12 1,079]

Hi Guys.

 

Today i want to sugguest a Panzer 3 used by the Danish military operated by both German "POW/Captured forces" and Danish soldiers in the operation to clear the minefields on the Danish beaches.

 

 

History

 

When the war ended and Denmark was liberated by their German occupiers there was a massive minefields throughout European beaches like Denmark. And these mines had to be cleared in order so that civilians are able to use them again.

One of the ways the allies found the way to have the correct manpower to remove these 1,5 million mines was sending captured German soldiers to these beaches in a mission to clear these minefields.

The operation took about 2 years to complete and over 1,4 million mines being disabled with more mines been cleared in the decades after the war.

The mine clearing operation in 1945 to 1947 is considered controversial in both Germany and Denmark. One of the reasons is because of the allies denied captured German soldiers being POW,s. Meaning they were not protected by the Geneva convension as POW,s. and it is declared POW,s are not allowed to do dangerous work.

Another reason of controversy being that some of the German soldiers was what could be considered child soldiers. And had an age of below 18 years old.

Numbers differ in fatality rates. But at least 149 Germans were killed in the mine clearing and more than 400 was injured. Other numbers say its above 300 killed and 500 injured

Some Danish officers was also injured in the operation.

 

One of the main vehicles used in the operation was the Panzer 3 Ausf N. and at the operations beginning the Gun was disabled and mine clearing rollers was installed in the back.

There were a couple of incidents were the tanks would drive into a mine that would blow its track off.

Some of the other machines used worth of note were Stug 3 of diffirent types and German halftracks.

Today only 1 tank suvived scrapping the Panzer 3 Ausf N. And it sits in Danish museums.

 

 

Description

 

The Minenkommando Panzer 3 Ausf N is allmost identical to the current Panzer 3 Ausf N currently in War Thunder with the only belived diffirence being there a no side skirts on the sides.

In the pictures there can be seen tracks installed in the front of the hull on some of the Panzer 3 Ausf N tanks and addon armor still been installed to the frontal plate.

Also on the frontal plate there are the letters Minenkommando.

 

specifications

 

Armor of the Panzer 3 Ausf N

Spoiler

 

The gun is the same 75 mm KwK37 cannon as seen ingame

 

The Engine is the Maybach hl120trm and should have the same Power as ingame.

 

The tank had a crew of 5 men. Comander, Gunner, Driver, Loader and Machine gunner.

 

Sources

 

https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.dk/&httpsredir=1&article=2817&context=cisr-journal

 

https://www.google.dk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjbguPjnKblAhUqpIsKHUlBAmwQjhx6BAgBEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Flevendehistorie.dk%2FAdmin%2FPublic%2FDownload.aspx%3Ffile%3DFiles%2FFiler%2FViden%2FOPdatering%2F2015%2FMere%2Bunder%2Bsandet%2B-%2BJohn.pdf&psig=AOvVaw0FePSJf1OL0uHSPoqT_TJ4&ust=1571502350215217 *In Danish*

 

https://wiki.warthunder.com/Pz.III_N *War Thunder wiki Panzer 3 stats*

 

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by eleks12

[leroyonly 4,311]

Open for discussion. 

[WiseMinerva 455]

Sure, why not.

+1

[Milocat 4,857]

Yes please!  +1.

[Matt_82 1,096]

I'm all for adding more low tier vehicles for all trees. +1

[Solarmod 1,204]

+1 for Swedish Tree.

[Milocat 4,857]

1 hour ago, Solarmod said:

+1 for Swedish Tree.

 

Well, we appear to be getting it.  

[Solarmod 1,204]

11 minutes ago, Milocat said:

 

Well, we appear to be getting it.  

That's what I saw 

 

 

[Admiral_Aruon 2,264]

+1 would make for a decent filler tank for the sweden?... scandiavia?... fennoscandia? tree.

 

and wow. denmark must have a critical shortage of mustard because they used it all to paint that tank XD

[PrussianOwl 442]

Sure enough, we got a Sweden ground tree, so this makes sense for it

 

EDIT: Actually, -1, going off ALIEN109's argument

Edited March 5, 2021 by PrussianOwl

[MasterOfUltramar 1,711]

Hard no.

ALIEN109 explained why not perfectly.

Edited March 5, 2021 by JohnnySiIverhand

[ALIEN109 1,321]

No !

A tank with no gun and used to send prisoner and kids on death wish operation...really ?

Because allies circumvented Geneva convention so it is not recognized as war crime doesn't mean it is fine

 

-1

[eleks12 1,079]

On 05/03/2021 at 07:41, ALIEN109 said:

No !

A tank with no gun and used to send prisoner and kids on death wish operation...really ?

Because allies circumvented Geneva convention so it is not recognized as war crime doesn't mean it is fine

 

-1

 

I totally understand and respect you're decission.

 

My reasoning for suggesting this vehicle is mostly for historical porpurse. And in the Poll i intentionally avoided adding the research vehicle option. Because that it would be unnecesary in both the German tree. And also in a potential Nordic Tree because there is the Norwegian Panzer-3 Ausf N which has no controversy. And prior to the mine clearance the gun of the vehicle was intentionally disasembled by the allies. So before the mine clearance it was combat ready. And could be by the allies after the operation be reinstalled if they wanted to.

 

And as stated in my suggestion. I did mention the use of POW,s of the age of below 18 where i also included sources. Which as both of the time of the war by the allies and today by the UN were indeed child soldiers. And IMO is highly immoral. And using the excuse that the Danes and the British was just doing it in an act of revenge or the Nazi misdeeds were alot more evil is off course no justification at all.

Lessons from the Past: The Rapid Clearance of Denmark’s Minefields in 1945 (jmu.edu)

On 18/10/2019 at 18:50, eleks12 said:

Another reason of controversy being that some of the German soldiers was what could be considered child soldiers. And had an age of below 18 years old.

 

So i clearly understood this would become a controversial suggestion. Though hardly the first one due to historical background. But i think War Thunder is also a game where the history of the vehicles the player can use is also a place where the player can look up the history of said vehicle... Even if that history can indeed be very dark.

Mitsubishi G4M2e Model 24 Tei (葉巻) - Ohka Carrier  - Passed for Consideration - War Thunder - Official Forum

 

But again. I can understand why some players may consider this part of history too dark for War Thunder. But IMO it's kind of a balance. Because i actually suggested adding a Nuke Map to the game getting a simular response. And that suggestion was actually implemented. And i do hope that this vehicle could have a place ingame despite it's abnormal and controversial background.

City Map Destroyed by a Nuclear device - Implemented Suggestions - War Thunder - Official Forum

 

However if someone find the background of the events that happened around this vehicle interesting. There is actually a great movie telling the story of the Minenkomando. Rather you are someone that agrees with my suggestion or not.

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by eleks12